Resealable container

ABSTRACT

A resealable carton-type container is disclosed comprising improvements which permit tight relatively perfect resealing of the cover boards after the container has been opened.

United States Patent [1 1 Ishimura 1 Nov. 25, 1975 1 RESEALABLE CONTAINER [56] References Cited [75] Inventor: Mamoru lshimura, Yokohama, UNITED STATES PATENTS Japan 1,481,592 l/l924 Dozier 229/52 B X I 1,980,851 11/1934 Crawford... 229/45 X [731 Amgnee- Xemx Stamford 2,739,752 3/1956 Pritchett..... 229/52 B ux Conn- 3,201,026 8/1965 Travis et a1. 229 45 x Dec- 3,202,853 2/1967 Locke 229/39 R 3,330,467 7/1967 Johns0n.. 229/44 R [21] Appl. No.: 534,111 3,371,845 3/1968 Frieman 229/45 X 3,618,849 11/1971 Schwaner 229/52 B [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorehead Dec. 22, 1973 Japan 48-146287 v l [57] ABSTRACT [52] C 229/39 229/45 229/52 A resealable carton-ty e container is disclosed com- 229/44 R p [51] Int cl 2 B65D 5/66 B65D 5/10 prising improvements which permit tight relatively perfect resealing of the cover boards after the con- [58] Fleld of Search 229/44 R, 45, 5222132359] R5C3, tamer has been opened 1 Claim, 6 Drawing. Figures US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet20f2 3,921,896

RESEALABLE CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to resealable containers which are basically simple in construction and require a minimum amount of material to manufacture.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the resealable carton of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the resealable carton, shown in the original sealed conditions;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views illustrating the procedure for rescaling the carton;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the carton in the resealed condition; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the prior art resealable carton.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Resealable carton-type containers of corrugated fiberboard or the like material are known, which are resealable after a sealed portion, usually the cover boards, have been opened. Obviously, such cartons are extremely convenient where it is required to repeatedly open or close top or bottom cover boards when, for example, taking articles out of the carton bit-by-bit. However prior art resealable cartons have heretofore only been used for special articles, due to their incomplete locking mechanisms for the cover boards when resealed. FIG. 6 illustrates a resealable carton of the con ventional type. A locking slit, 0, is provided in folding boards, b, extending from the upper edge of a body proper, a, of the carton, and inserting flaps, e, extending from the end of each cover board, d, are brought into engagement with the slit, c, thereby fixing cover boards, d. This carton, however, suffers from the drawback that a useless clearance is required for accomodating the inserting pieces, e, within the carton, and the fact that the cover boards, b, tend to loosen because the inserting pieces, e, are merely maintained by frictional engagement with slits, 0. Additionally, since inserting pieces, 2, projecting from the cover boards, d, must be formed as separate members, extra paper materials for the inserting piece is required.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a resealable carton which is simple in construction and which can be more or less perfectly resealed.

Therefore according to the present invention, a resealable carton is provided which comprises: rectangular side boards; rectangular front and end boards; the side boards and front and rear boards being joined together by means of a junction member into a square pillar; bottom end boards extending from the side boards and front and rear boards close the bottom opening of said square pillar; top cover boards extending from the side boards formed with locking projection pieces; and folding boards extending from the front and rear boards each having a locking flap provided with a slit spacially corresponding to the said locking projection pieces, said locking flaps capable of being raised up to locate on the extension of the front and rear boards when the carton is rescaled, such that the locking projection pieces of the side boards may be inserted in the respective locking slits, thereby locking the cover boards.

Referring now to the drawings of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a carton incorporating the instant improvements. Provided are rectangular side panels or boards, 1, front and rear boards, 2, and

junction member, 3, for joining. a side board, 1, to a front or rear board, 2, such that a squarepillar is thereby formed. Extending from the lower ends of the side, rear and front boards are bottom end boards or panels, 4. The bottom end boards are generally of a rectangular shape, but may be of identical shape with the cover boards, 5, used for covering the upper opening of the carton as shown in the drawing. Cover boards, 5, extend from the upper edged the side boards, 1, and each cover boardis formed with locking projection pieces, 6, in the opposite v corners remote from the upper edge of the side board. Extending from the front and rear boards, 2, are folding boards, 7, each of which has, in a portion contiguous to the rear or front board, 2, a locking flap, 9, defined by perforated line, 8, in a substantially inverted U-shape. Each locking flap, 9, is provided with a slit, 10, running along the upper edge of the front and rear boards. Each slit, 10, is of a dimension sufficiently large to receive the locking projection pieces, 6, of the opposing cover boards, 5, when they are closed. As shown in the drawing, slit, 10, is formed by punching part of the locking flap, 9, but it may be perforated in a substantially inverted U- shape and the portion defined by the perforated line may be bent inwardly of the carton along the line when the carton is resealed. Folding boards, 7, are provided with a semi-circular finger hole, 1 1, in a portion contiguous to each locking flap, 9.

To assemble, side boards, 1, and front and rear boards, 2, are joined together by means of the junction member, 3, into a square pillar, and then bottom end boards, 4, are closed to block the bottom opening of the carton. In the particular example of FIG. 1, the procedure for closing the bottom opening is such that the bottom end boards, 4, extending from front and rear boards, 2, are first folded inwardly, then the other bottom end boards, 4, extending from side boards, 1, are folded in superimposed relation to the firstly folded bottom end boards, 4, followed by fastening using, for example, a sealing tape, 12. To close the top of the carton, folding boards, 7, and cover boards, 5, are folded inwardly, after which the cover boards are fixed by means of tape, 12, thereby sealing the carton completely, as is illustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 the procedure for resealing the carton after it is opened will now be described. After the tape, 12, is removed and the carton has been opened, locking flaps, 9, perforated on folding boards, 7, are pulled upwards along the perforated line using finger holes, 11, whereby locking flaps, 9, will be raised up on the extension of front and rear boards, 2, as shown in FIG. 4. Then cover boards, 5, are folding inwardly in superimposed relation to folding boards, 7, with the locking projection pieces, 6, filled in the slits, 10, provided along the upper edges of rear and front boards, 2, whereby the cover boards, 5, are maintained in a fixed condition and no possibility of springing upwards, thereby achieving a fixed rescaling of the carton. FIG. 5 illustrates the carton with the improvements of this invention in a rescaled condition.

As is apparent from the foregoing, locking flaps are defined preferably by a perforated line on the folding boards and raised up along the perforated line during rescaling, and the cover boards are brought into en- 3 gagement with the slits of the locking flaps. Resealing of the carton is thereby facilitated. Additionally by use of the locking flaps which urges the cover boards downwards against their natural elasticity, the cover boards are maintained more completely in a locked condition, as compared with the prior art carton above described in which the cover boards are maintained merely in frictional engagement with the slits. Thus with the carton of this invention there is no risk that, during storage or non-use, the resealed carton will open due to disengagement of the cover boards from the locking slits. To reopen the resealed carton, the locking flaps are simply expanded towards the carton, thereby disengaging the locking projections from the slits, whereby thecover boards will spring upwards due to the resiliency of the fiberboard, thus providing ease of opening. Another advantage which can be obtained from this invention is that the resealing mechanism, that is the locking projections and locking flaps, can be formed on the cover boards or the folding boards by perforation, with the result that no more material is required than is necessary for producing the commonly used non-resealable cartons.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of manufacture for forming a resealable container, comprising, (a) two rectangular side panels; (b) rectangular front and rear panels; said front, rear and side panels being joined together to form a pillar having square top and bottom openings; (c) bottom end panels foldably affixed to the bottom edges of said side, front and rear panels, adapted to fold inwardly of said pillar so as to close the bottom opening of said pillar; (d) a first set of top panels foldably affixed to the top edges of said front and rear panels, adapted to fold inwardly of said pillar so as to block the top opening of said pillar, said top panels having perforated locking flaps containing a slit running along the top edges of said front and rear panels; (e) a second set of top panels foldably affixed to the top edges of said side panels, adapted to fold inwardly of said pillar in superimposed relationship to said first set of top panels, and having flaps projecting from the corners remote from said top edges of said side panels; wherein said second set of top panels are adapted such that when they are in superimposed inwardly folded relationship to said first set of top panels, said projecting flaps are receivable by said slits in locking relationship. 

1. An article of manufacture for forming a resealable container, comprising, (a) two rectangular side panels; (b) rectangular front and rear panels; said front, rear and side panels being joined together to form a pillar having square top and bottom openings; (c) bottom end panels foldably affixed to the bottom edges of said side, front and rear panels, adapted to fold inwardly of said pillar so as to close the bottom opening of said pillar; (d) a first set of top panels foldably affixed to the top edges of said front and rear panels, adapted to fold inwardly of said pillar so as to block the top opening of said pillar, said top panels having perforated locking flaps containing a slit running along the top edges of said front and rear panels; (e) a second set of top panels foldably affixed to the top edges of said side panels, adapted to fold inwardly of said pillar in superimposed relationship to said first set of top panels, and having flaps projecting from the corners remote from said top edges of said side panels; wherein said second set of top panels are adapted such that when they are in superimposed inwardly folded relationship to said first set of top panels, said projecting flaps are receivable by said slits in locking relationship. 